Mercedes team boss apologises for new sponsorship?
Dec.4 - Toto Wolff has publicly apologised for announcing a new Mercedes sponsorship deal with Irish building materials company Kingspan.
The announcement triggered widespread social media backlash, due to Kingspan having been implicated in last year's official inquiry into the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire tragedy.
During the inquiry, it emerged that one Kingspan director had at one point said those raising concerns about the combustibility of its products should "go f*** themselves".
72 people were killed in the horrifying London blaze.
"On behalf of our team, I would sincerely like to apologise to you for the additional hurt that this announcement has caused," team boss Wolff wrote in an open letter to an aggrieved survivors and victims organisation.
Wolff claims Kingspan "have stated that they played no role in the design or construction" of the tower's offending cladding, but that "a small percentage of their product was used ... without their knowledge".
He added that he is willing to meet with the survivors group so he can "learn and understand better".
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Imo, bad move from Merc, for me its the insinuation/public perception that it may have been/was/could have been down to a product they use,we are slow in the uk and keeping the wreckage of grenfell tower up , just proves that,Torger acting like a politician saying hell meet up with these people just sends the wrong message imo, drop the deal, its better pr Torger
Shrop', you're losing focus. $$$$$
Hamilton won't like it!
He will do as he is told
40 million on the line
This was not a good answer to the concerned people of the tragedy in the UK. But he is Toto Wolf. He does not really care about WHAT AN ADVERTISER COULD HAVE DONE. For him the money in the cash register counts. Also, the fact that they changed HAM's engine so late in ten race - without penalty - shows his attitude and connections. Shame.
I don't understand the mentality of people like Wolf and Mercedes
They show a real lack of respect for those lost at Grenfell. The enquiry is not yet complete for goodness sake
It demonstrates that money really does rule F1 and dam the consequences
Shame on you both
Hoping for mechanical issues as karma
you may well get that Karma as VB has broken down in Q3, and Merc have extra cash now to pay Hamishes fine courtesy of Kingspan..!!
Wolf will need full PPE
#Priorities
Are we seriously to believe that Hamish after being with Merc since 2013 wasn't aware of a new sponsor joining the team, logic would say that once due diligence is done and the deal is due to be signed/or been signed, senior team members inc the drivers would be informed of it, even moreso considering how close Torger and Carl are.
Oh don't get me wrong i know $$$ count, but even so , I believe Carl knew and was lying to deflect the questioning
https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/hamilton-distances-himself-from-kingspan-deal-amid-outcry/6850791/
Mercedes & Kingspan end sponsorship deal
Torger and his lawyers have had a rethink, shame on him and the team for even considering its
Mercedes' sponsorship deal with Kingspan, a firm that made insulation material involved in the Grenfell Tower disaster, has ended a week after it was announced.
The Formula 1 team were heavily criticised over the deal, with survivors of the June 2017 tragedy describing it as "truly shocking".
"Both parties have subsequently concluded that it is not appropriate for the partnership to move forward at the current point in time," said Mercedes.
"We have therefore agreed that it will be discontinued with immediate effect."
Kingspan said: "We are deeply aware of the sensitivities raised in recent days."
Mercdes driver Lewis Hamilton, who will could win his eight world title at this weekend's season-closing Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, distanced himself from the arrangement over the weekend, suggesting that the Kingspan logo might not remain on his car.
After last Wednesday's announcement of the sponsorship agreement, Grenfell United, a group of the disaster's survivors and bereaved families, said: "This news has shattered us." The group added at the time that it wanted Mercedes to "immediately sever your relationship" from Kingspan.
Kingspan says that its K15 insulation made up only 5% of the insulation in the block and was used without its recommendation. It points out that the exterior cladding, which it did not manufacture, was deemed by an inquiry into the fire to be the "principal reason" for how quickly it spread.
The June 2017 fire killed 72 people.
Both Kingspan and Mercedes emphasised that their deal was based around sustainability when it was announced. The company's logo appeared on Mercedes' cars for the first time at last weekend's Saudi Arabia Grand Prix.
Why did Kingspan supply a product not fit for the application and even though they say they did not recommend it?
MONEY
It blinds some to ignore controversy their actions that was sure to be widely dammed
Well done public opinion
Has to be one of the shortest sponsorship deals in f1 history , it was a £3 M deal per yr
Hamilton pulling the strings again
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